The Webster's dictionary defines avenge as; to take vengeance for or on behalf of, to exact satisfaction for a wrong by punishing the wrongdoer. In Numbers 35, God gives instructions for His people to have cities of refuge. The cities of refuge were a place for a person to go if they killed someone. The relative or avenger of the dead person would then go to the city where it was decided if the killer did it by accident or actually murder an innocent person. The avenger then would either leave because the killer was innocent and the death was an accident or the avenger would kill the murderer in vengeance for his relative that was murder. The avenger then would be cleared of the death of the murderer because he was getting vengeance and avenging his innocent relative that had been murder.

I am a comic book/movie junky and nerd. I love myself a good comic book. I love spending 2 hours watching a good comic book movie (has to be a marvel movie though to be good). I love watching the hero's save the day and rescuing the innocent people. My favorite comic book movie is "The Avengers". In that movie, Tony Stark as Ironman gives one of the best lines in the movie. He is talking face to face with the villain when all odds seem against the heroes. He tells the villain that the combined heroes should be called Avengers because they have come to get vengeance for the innocents of earth.

Why do we ultimately have heroes and the hero mindset desire in our culture? Because everyone knows we need a hero, someone who will get vengeance for us because we are innocent or at least we think we are. Did you know every hero is just a shadow of the greatest Hero?. Even the avenger rule in Numbers 35 is a shadow for the greatest Hero. And here is the greatest kicker in the whole shadow and foretaste thought from not only Numbers 35 but the rest of the OT. The greatest Hero is not only the Avenger but also the only Innocent. Jesus Christ is the greatest hero there is. Jesus Christ is the perfect complete and only true avenger. But Jesus is also the innocent who pays the price as the avenger for us. Wow what a truly beautiful picture and truth we can hold on to and enjoy.

So next time you watch a hero movie, realize it is just humans desiring to know and have the hero in their lives. And realize we already have the perfect Hero and Avenger living and dying for us, we do not need a Captain America to save our day, WE HAVE JESUS!